MTG : Aurelia's Vindicator : Disguise, Cloak, Ward

We already have at least three abilities that allow a permanent to be turned face down: Morph, Megamorph, and Manifest. Apparently, another couple were urgently needed. Let’s discuss them.

How does Disguise work?

In short, Disguise works exactly the same as Morph, with one exception: the face-down creature has one built-in triggered ability — Ward {2}.

What does Cloak mean?

You can get the same face-down card with Ward {2} through another method called Cloak. Strangely enough, this keyword action is a complete replica of Manifest. It doesn’t bring anything new to the mechanic, except for the ability Ward {2}, along with a new helper card:

In the set Murder at Karlov Manor, Wizards introduced a new token for face-down permanents, named “A Mysterious Creature.”

In MTG Arena, the card simply says, “Card face down.” I’ll occasionally refer to a face-down card with Ward {2} as disguised.

If Morph and Manifest are unknown mechanics to you, I strongly recommend thoroughly studying the corresponding articles. They describe in detail how face-down cards are cast and manifested, what happens to them on the battlefield in various situations, how they can be turned face-up, how they are copied, what happens to Auras and Equipment when the permanent is turned face-up, and so on. In general, everything about their fascinating life in the world of MTG.

How does Ward work?

Since Ward is what distinguishes a disguised card from an ordinary Morph, let’s take a close look at this feature.

702.21a. Ward is a triggered ability. Ward [cost] means “Whenever this permanent becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless that player pays [cost].”

In this definition, it’s important to understand the word “permanent,” meaning a card or token on the battlefield. Ward doesn’t function in any other zones except the battlefield. It’s also completely useless when an opponent tries to counter a spell with Ward.

Note that it doesn’t matter whether the opponent cast or copied the targeting spell. As soon as your permanent with Ward becomes a target, the Ward ability will trigger. This applies similarly to changing the target. What matters is who controls the spell that targets the permanent with Ward, not who controls the target-changing spell.

If the opponent casts a spell targeting several of your permanents with Ward, each Ward will trigger. Failure to pay the cost for any of them will result in the spell being countered. For example, if the opponent casts Abandon the Post, targeting two of your disguised creatures, they will have to pay {2} twice for the spell to take effect.

If the opponent casts a spell that targets your permanent with Ward multiple times, the Ward will trigger only once. For the second and subsequent instances of the word “target,” that permanent will already be considered a target of that spell.

Finally, if a cunninig opponent casts a spell that cannot be countered, it won’t matter if they pay the Ward cost — their spell will still resolve.

Mana is the simplest version of Ward cost. There can be other requirements, such as discarding a card, sacrificing a creature, or paying life.

702.21b. Some ward abilities include an X in their cost and state what X is equal to. This value is determined at the time the ability resolves, not locked in as the ability triggers.

For example, for Mintara, Merciless Soul, X equals the number of experience counters, which may change between the time the Ward triggers and when it resolves. Counters are counted at resolution.

How do Aurelia's Vindicator abilities work?

Aurelia's Vindicator almost serves you coffee — her ability set is that impressive! It includes Flying, Lifelink, and Ward {2}, which we’ve just discussed. But the most interesting part lies in the last two triggers.

The first trigger occurs when Aurelia's Vindicator turns face-up. To trigger it, you first need to somehow turn it face-down, and then use the special action with the unmasking cost of {X}{3}{W}.

The cost of Disguise for Aurelia's Vindicator includes a variable {X}, which determines the number of targets for the trigger.

The first trigger of Aurelia's Vindicator targets both other creatures on the battlefield and creature cards in all graveyards. Keep in mind that if you target a creature that ends up in the graveyard before the trigger resolves, it becomes an illegal target and will not be exiled. You cannot “target it again in the graveyard” — targets are chosen once when the trigger is put on the stack.

The second ability triggers when Aurelia's Vindicator leaves the battlefield. Upon resolution, all the cards it exiled are returned to their owners' hands. And since there are two triggers, you can pull off a clever trick like with Oblivion Ring: if Aurelia's Vindicator leaves the battlefield before the trigger for flipping it face-up resolves, the targets will be exiled permanently when the trigger resolves.

How to do this correctly?

Gain priority. Declare that you wish to perform the special action of turning the card face-up.
Reveal the card’s front side. Declare the value for {X}.
Calculate the total cost. If needed, activate mana abilities. Pay the Disguise cost.
Turn the card face-up. The ability triggers.
Put the trigger on the stack, choosing 0 to X legal targets.
In response to the trigger, cast an instant or activate an ability that can remove Aurelia's Vindicator from the battlefield, like bounce.
Resolve that spell or ability: Aurelia's Vindicator leaves the battlefield, and its second ability triggers.
Resolve this trigger: nothing is returned since nothing has been exiled yet.
Resolve the first trigger: all legal targets are exiled permanently. Voilà!

What happens if multiple first triggers of Aurelia's Vindicator resolve?

The Disguise cost, which determines the value of X, and the two subsequent triggers of Aurelia's Vindicator are linked abilities. Such abilities typically come in pairs, with the effect of one referencing the effect of the other, but here there are three:

Disguise determines the maximum number of targets for the first trigger;
The first trigger exiles up to X cards;
The second trigger returns “those exiled cards” to their owners' hands.

According to rule 607.2, the phrase “those exiled cards” refers only to the cards exiled by the first trigger.

If multiple first triggers occur, each is still linked to the second trigger, which will refer to all cards exiled by all first triggers. There’s no need to apply rule 607.3 because the card says “cards” in the plural.

Suppose the trigger of Aurelia's Vindicator to flip it face-up resolves, you choose up to X targets and put the trigger on the stack, then copy it using Strionic Resonator, selecting up to X other targets. As a result, you can exile a large number of creatures and creature cards from graveyards (up to 2X in total).

When Aurelia's Vindicator leaves the battlefield, all cards exiled by both copies of the first trigger will return to their owners' hands upon the second trigger’s resolution.

If you’ve already turned Aurelia's Vindicator face-up, you can use Cyber Conversion to turn it face-down again, allowing you to use Disguise once more to flip it face-up, granting you a second chance to exile creatures/cards, with the X value potentially differing each time.

When Aurelia's Vindicator leaves the battlefield, all cards exiled by the triggers of all her Disguise flips will be returned to their owners’ hands.

What happens if there are two Aurelia's Vindicator on the battlefield?

201.5. Text that refers to the object it's on by name means just that particular object and not any other objects with that name, regardless of any name changes caused by game effects.

This means that each Aurelia's Vindicator's abilities only refer to each other, not to any other permanents named Aurelia's Vindicator.

Each Aurelia's Vindicator will track only the cards exiled by its own first linked trigger, with the number of targets for that trigger determined solely by the X value chosen for its Disguise.

What happens if Aurelia's Vindicator loses abilities before leaving the battlefield?

Nothing. Leave the battlefield triggers occur from the battlefield, not the zone the card is moving to. This means that at the moment Aurelia's Vindicator leaves the battlefield, it has no triggers. There’s nothing to fire. The exiled cards will remain in exile forever.

A cunning opponent casts Turn // Burn with Fuse on your Aurelia's Vindicator and pays {2} for Ward. Aurelia's Vindicator loses all abilities, then receives lethal damage and peacefully goes to the graveyard. Nothing else happens.

If Aurelia's Vindicator returns to the battlefield, will the previously exiled cards return when it leaves again?

400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence. This rule has the following exceptions.

Of course not. It’s a new object, and it doesn’t remember the cards exiled previously.

⇑ You can cast it for {3} as “A Mysterious Creature.” face down, Cloak, or Manifest. Another option is mass turning everything face down. For example, Ixidron can do that.

Translated by ChatGPT

Aurelia's Vindicator

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